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ritory, and to make the necessary provision for surveying the public lands, and bringing them into market. As our citizens who now reside in that distant region have been subjected to many hardships, privations, and sacrifices in their emigration, and by their improvements have enhanced the value of the public lands in the neighborhood of their settlements, it is recommended that liberal grants be made to them of such portions of these lands as they may occupy, and that similar grants or rights of pre-emption be made to all who may emigrate thither within a limited period, to be prescribed by law.

The report of the secretary of war contains detailed information relative to the several branches of the public service connected with that department. The operations of the army have been of a satisfactory and highly-gratifying character.

I recommend to your early and favorable consideration the measures proposed by the secretary of war for speedily filling up the rank and file of the regular army, for its greater efficiency in the field, and for raising an additional force to serve during the war with Mexico.

Embarrassment is likely to arise for want of legal provision authorizing compensation to be made to the agents employed in the several states and territories to pay the revolutionary and other pensioners the amounts allowed them by law. Your attention is invited to the recommendations of the secretary of war on this subject. These agents incur heavy responsibilities and perform important duties, and no reason exists why they should not be placed on the same footing, as to compensation, with other disbursing officers.

Our relations with the various Indian tribes continue to be of a pacific character. The unhappy dissensions which have existed among the Cherokees for many years past have been healed. Since my last annual message important treaties have been negotiated with some of the tribes, by which the Indian title to large tracts of valuable land, within the limits of the states and territories, has been extinguished, and arrangements made for removing them to the country west of the Mississippi. Between three and four thousand, of different tribes, have been removed to the country provided for them by treaty stipulations, and arrangements have been made for others to follow.

In our intercourse with the several tribes particular attention has been given to the important subject of education. The number of schools established among them has been increased, and additional means provided, not only for teaching them the rudiments of education, but of instructing them in agriculture and the mechanic arts.

I refer you to the report of the secretary of the navy for a satisfactory view of the operations of the department under his charge during the past year. It is gratifying to perceive, that while the war with Mexico has rendered it necessary to employ an unusual number of our armed vessels on her coasts, the protection due to our commerce in other quarters of the world has not proved insufficient. No means will be spared to give efficiency to the naval service in the prosecution of the war; and I am happy to know that the officers and men anxiously desire to devote themselves to the service of their country in any enterprise, however difficult of execution.

I recommend to your favorable consideration the proposition to add to each of our foreign squadrons an efficient sea-steamer, and, as especially demanding attention, the establishment at Pensacola, of the necessary

means of repairing and refitting the vessels of the navy employed in the gulf of Mexico.

There are other suggestions in the report which deserve, and, I doubt not, will receive, your consideration.

The progress and condition of the mail service for the past year are fully presented in the report of the postmaster-general. The revenue for the year ending on the thirtieth of June last amounted to three millions, four hundred and eighty-seven thousand, one hundred and ninety-nine dollars, which is eight hundred and two thousand, six hundred and forty-two dollars and forty-five cents less than that of the preceding year. The payments for that department during the same time amounted to four millions, eighty-four thousand, two hundred and ninety-seven dollars and twenty-two cents. Of this sum five hundred and ninety-seven thousand, and ninety-seven dollars and eighty cents have been drawn from the treas ury. The disbursements for the year were two hundred and thirty-six thousand, four hundred and thirty-four dollars and seventy-seven cents less than those of the preceding year. While the disbursements have been thus diminished, the mail facilities have been enlarged by new mail-routes of five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-nine miles; an increase of transportation of one million, seven hundred and sixty-four thousand, one hundred and forty-five miles, and the establishment of four hundred and eighteen new postoffices. Contractors, postmasters, and others, engaged in this branch of the service, have performed their duties with energy and faithfulness deserving commendation. For many interesting details connected with the operations of this establishment, you are referred to the report of the postmaster-general; and his suggestions for improving its revenues are recommended to your favorable consideration. I repeat the opinion expressed in my last annual message, that the business of this department should be so regulated that the revenues derived from it should be made to equal the expenditures; and it is believed that this may be done by proper modifications of the present laws, as suggested in the report of the postmaster-general, without changing the present rates of postage.

With full reliance upon the wisdom and patriotism of your deliberations, it will be my duty, as it will be my anxious desire, to co-operate with you in every constitutional effort to promote the welfare and maintain the honor of our common country.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

DECEMBER 22, 1846.

To the House of Representatives of the United States:

In compliance with the request contained in the resolution of the house of representatives of the 15th instant, I communicate here with reports from the secretary of war and the secretary of the navy, with the documents which accompany them.

These documents contain all the "orders or instructions" to any military. naval, or other officer of the government, " in relation to the establishment or organization of civil government in any portion of the territory of Mex

ico which has or might be taken possession of by the army or navy of the United States."

These orders and instructions were given to regulate the exercise of the rights of a belligerent, engaged in actual war, over such portions of the territory of our enemy as, by military conquest, might be "taken possession of" and be occupied by our armed forces-rights necessarily resulting from a state of war and clearly reognised by the laws of nations. This was all the authority which could be delegated to our military and naval commanders, and its exercise was indispensable to the secure occupation and possession of territory of the enemy which might be conquered. The regulations authorized were temporary, and dependent on the rights acquired by conquest. They were authorized as belligerent rights, and were to be carried into effect by military or naval officers. They were but the amelioration of martial law, which modern civilization requires, and were due as well to the security of the conquest, as to the inhabitants of the conquered territory.

The documents communicated also contain the reports of several highly meritorious officers of our army and navy, who have conquered and taken possession of portions of the enemy's territory.

Among the documents accompanying the report of the secretary of war will be found a form of government" " established and organized" by the military commander who conquered and occupied with his forces the territory of New Mexico. This document was received at the war department in the latter part of the last month, and, as will be perceived by the report of the secretary of war, was not, for the reasons stated by that officer, brought to my notice until after my annual message of the 8th instant was communicated to Congress.

It is declared on its face to be a "temporary government of the said territory;" but there are portions of it which purport to "establish and organize" a permanent territorial government of the United States over the territory, and to impart to its inhabitants political rights which, under the constitution of the United States, can be enjoyed permanently only by citizens of the United States. These have not been" approved and recognised" by me. Such organized regulations as have been established in any of the conquered territories for the security of our conquest, for the preservation of order, for the protection of the rights of the inhabitants, and for depriving the enemy of the advantages of these territories while the military possession of them by the forces of the United States continues, will be recognised and approved.

It will be apparent, from the reports of the officers who have been required by the success which has crowned their arms to exercise the powers of temporary government over the conquered territories, that if any excess of power has been exercised, the departure has been the offspring of a patriotic desire to give to the inhabitants the privileges and immunities so cherished by the people of our own country, and which they believed calculated to improve their condition and promote their prosperity. Any such excess has resulted in no practical injury, but can and will be early corrected, in a manner to alienate as little as possible the good feelings of the inhabitants of the conquered territory.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

DECEMBER 29, 1846.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:In order to prosecute the war against Mexico with vigor and success, it is necessary that authority should be promptly given by Congress, to increase the regular army, and to remedy existing defects in its organization. With this view, your favorable attention is invited to the annual report of the secretary of war, which accompanied my message of the eighth instant, in which he recommends that ten additional regiments of regular troops shall be raised, to serve during the war.

Of the additional regiments of volunteers which have been called for from several of the states, some have been promptly raised; but this has not been the case in regard to all. The existing law, requiring that they should be organized by the independent action of the state governments, has, in some instances, occasioned considerable delay, and it is yet uncertain when the troops required can be ready for service in the field.

It is our settled policy to maintain in time of peace as small a regular army as the exigencies of the public service will permit. In a state of war, notwithstanding the great advantage with which our volunteer citizensoldiers can be brought into the field, this small regular army must be increased in its numbers, in order to render the whole force more efficient. Additional officers, as well as men, then become indispensable. Under the circumstances of our service, a peculiar propriety exists for increasing the officers, especially in the higher grades. The number of such officers who, from age and other causes, are rendered incapable of active service in the field, has seriously impaired the efficiency of the army.

From the report of the secretary of war, it appears that about two thirds of the whole number of regimental field officers are either permanently disabled, or are necessarily detached from their commands on other duties. The long enjoyment of peace has prevented us from experiencing much. embarrassment from this cause; but now, in a state of war, conducted in a foreign country, it has produced serious injury to the public service.

An efficient organization of the army, composed of regulars and volunteers, while prosecuting the war in Mexico, it is believed, would require the appointment of a general officer to take command of all our military forces in the field. Upon the conclusion of the war, the services of such an officer would no longer be necessary, and should be dispensed with upon the reduction of the army to a peace establishment.

I recommend that provision be made by law, for the appointment of such a general officer, to serve during the war.

It is respectfully recommended that early action should be had by Congress upon the suggestions submitted for their consideration, as necessary to insure active and efficient service in prosecuting the war, before the present favorable season for military operations in the enemy's country shall have passed away.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 4, 1847.

To the Senate of the United States :

I COMMUNICATE herewith a report of the postmaster-general, which con tains the information called for by the resolution of the senate of the 16th instant, in relation to the means which have been taken for the transmission of letters and papers to and from the officers and soldiers now in the service of the United States, in Mexico. In answer to the inquiry whether any legislation is necessary to secure the speedy transmission and delivery of such letters and papers, I refer you to the suggestions of the postmaster-general, which are recommended to your favorable consideration.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 19, 1847.

To the House of Representatives of the United States:

I TRANSMIT here with a report of the secretary of war, with the accompanying report from the adjutant-general of the army, made in compliance with the resolution of the house of representatives of the 5th instant, requesting the president to communicate to the house "the whole number of volunteers which have been mustered into the service of the United States, since the first day of May last, designating the number mustered for three months, six months, and twelve months; the number of those who have been discharged before they served two months, number discharged after two months' service, and the number of volunteer officers who have resigned, and the dates of their resignations."

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 20, 1847.

To the House of Representatives of the United States:

I COMMUNICATE herewith a letter received from the president of the convention of delegates of the people of Wisconsin, transmitting a certified copy of the constitution adopted by the delegates of the people of Wisconsin in convention assembled; also, a copy of the act of the legislature of the territory of Wisconsin, providing for the calling of said convention; and also, a copy of the last census, showing the number of inhabitants in said territory, requesting the president to "lay the same before the Congress of the United States, with the request that Congress act upon the same at its present session."

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